Direct electrodeposition of magnetic recording head features

Abstract

A method is described for forming a magnetic recording head substrate. The method includes utilizing a metal feature on the magnetic recording head substrate as a grounding path. The magnetic recording head substrate is submerged in a solution containing ions of a second material, and the ions of the second material are electrodeposited on the magnetic recording head substrate.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of forming a magnetic recording head, comprising:
 forming a first metal feature of the magnetic recording head on a substrate by sputter depositing a sputter material onto the substrate and applying photolithography to the sputter deposited material to define the first metal feature with overall length and width dimensions; and then 
 connecting the formed first metal feature to a power source; 
 submerging the substrate with the formed first metal feature thereon in a solution comprising metal ions of a deposition material; 
 electrodepositing the ions of the deposition material directly on the formed first metal feature to form a second metal feature that contactingly engages the first metal feature while using the first metal feature as an electrical grounding path for the power source, wherein no seed layer is present between the first and second metal features; 
 depositing a mask before the electrodepositing step; and 
 removing the mask after the electrodepositing step, wherein the first metal feature is characterized as a main pole and the second metal feature is characterized as a non-magnetic spacing layer contactingly engaging a side surface of the main pole. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting step comprises interconnecting the first metal feature to a terminal of the power source. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming a first metal feature step comprises forming a plurality of spaced apart first features on the substrate, and the connecting step comprises concurrently connecting each of the plurality of first metal features to a terminal of the power source via a strap. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a subsequent step of sputter depositing a second sputter material on the second metal feature formed during the electrodeposition step. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first metal feature is formed of CoFe and the second metal feature is formed of NiP. 
     
     
       6. A method comprising:
 providing a magnetic writer structure comprising a main pole formed on a substrate by sputter depositing a magnetic sputter material onto the substrate and applying photolithography to the sputter deposited material to define the main pole with overall width and length dimensions on said substrate; 
 interconnecting the main pole from the providing step to a terminal of a power source via an intervening electrically conductive path; 
 exposing the magnetic writer structure to a mixture comprising ions of a deposition material; and 
 electrodepositing the ions of the deposition material directly on the main pole using the main pole as an electrical grounding path for the power source to form a feature of the magnetic writer structure that contactingly engages the main pole, wherein a seed layer is not disposed between the main pole and the feature, wherein the feature is characterized as a first conformal layer contactingly engaging a first side of the main pole, and wherein the electrodepositing step further comprises concurrently forming a second conformal layer in contacting engagement with an opposing second side of the main pole. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electrodepositing step defines the formed feature with overall width and length dimensions. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electrodeposited deposition material is non-magnetic.